Sunday 14 December 2014

STAR BLUES on 14th December 2014 at 22:00 - no need for that truck Joe. Just piano, harp, sax and voice in here tonight

Our mandate to do things differently makes us Britain's Other Blues Show. So (for this week) you can leave that electric guitar at home. Sax, piano, harp and voice welcome;  its acoustic, pre-war and country blues tonight. Jerry McCain was a private eye for a while, an unlikely stop on his journey after cutting memorable singles for Johnny Vincent's Ace label - often copied never beaten. Steve Brookes has an unusual heritage and we thought his wryly humourous song was so well crafted it was one way of getting into Christmas.

Robert Johnson's place in the pantheon of enigmatic greats was assured almost from the start - though one shouldn't forget he would play polkas and such as a working travelling musician. We had chance to listen to his contemporaries and followers over the course of a special format show now fallen from favour on UK blues radio. Bukka White had a powerful technique - sabre not rapier. Amos Easton used the name Bumble Bee Slim when in the recording studio with a more nuanced technique. Blind Blake and Blind Boy Fuller both did their best work pre-war and Son House was the stylistic link from Muddy Waters back to Charley Patton and so on.

Sax is an instrument you either love or not - Red Prysock, Bill Doggett and King Curtis were its finest exponents. (We did sneak some electric guitar in under the radar for "Soul Twist" - ok I forgot). Louis Armstrong, Jimmy Rushing, and Joe Turner had great presence and added credibility to otherwise ho0hum Christmas fa(y)re. Oscar McLollie approached his work with gleeful abandon, Mabel Scott held the line and the Ravens completely re-did an old chestnut. Not really within our normal scope, we extended seasonal hospitality to super-bass-heavy Jimmy Ricks. The Du-Droppers answered the Domioes stamina and the Wheels made their debut in these parts. The Persuasions group is now the premier a capella outfit even if they have a fondness for reaching into deeper wells  in other genres like Frank Zappa.

Mahalia Jackson pitched a gospel tent on the near side, Jimmy Yancey, Amos Milburn and Lloyd Glenn did piano duties. Memphis Minnie and  Lil Green sounded years advanced of Mamie Smith and Trixie Smith (not related). Mamie's is thought to be the first recorded mention of "The Blues" and Trixie's imperious voice cut through the poor fidelity of the original 78rpm source for her piece.

We hope to have proved there is more to the music than showing off on electric axe and that you'll want to go further in exploring other facets of blues. Its a real honour to be able to get a warm invite round your place with such marvellous music and I plan to be back next Sunday at 10pm (BST) for more STAR BLUES. Until then take care of yourselves and take care of those that take care of you

track.title track.artistsort index album.title album.artistsort label
Steady Jerry McCain 16 The Ace Story - Volume 3 Various Artists ACE
Travelling Riverside Blues Robert Johnson 5 Beg Borrow Or Steal Various ArtistsRobert Johnson CATFISH
Aberdeen Mississippi Blues Bukka White 1 Parchman Farm Blues Bukka White ORBIS BLUES COLLECTION
Steady Roll Mama Blues Bumble Bee Slim (Aka Amos Easton) 16 The Essential Bumble Bee Slim (Aka Amos Easton) CLASSIC BLUES
Goin’ Back To Texas Memphis Minnie 17 History Of Rhythm And Blues Part One Various Artists Rhythm and Blues Records
Go Girl! Tri-Saxual Soul Champs 13 Black Top Blues-A-Rama Various Artists BLACK TOP
zat you santa louis armstrong 3-20 rockin around christmas tree various artists crimson
Roll 'Em Pete Joe Turner & Pete Johnson 1 Roll 'Em Pete : 25 Years Of Piano Blues And Boogie Various Artists INDIGO
Can't Do Sixty No More Du Droppers, The 16 Let's Have A Ball Various Artists Blue Label / SPV
lets have a ball the wheels 1 Let's Have A Ball Various Artists Blue Label / SPV
Members Only Persuasions 13 Rounder Revue Various Artists Rounder
vitamin m steve brookes 5 vintage troubadour steve brookes
Nobody Knows The Trouble I've Seen Mahalia Jackson 20 Just For A Day: The Apollo Records Story Various Artists one day
Keep Your Lamps Trimmed And Burning Mississippi Fred McDowell 9 The First Recordings Mississippi Fred McDowell Rounder
Levee Camp Blues Son House 4 Martin Scorsese Presents The Blues: [Son House] Son House Columbia Legacy
Good Mornin' Little School Girl Sonny Boy Williamson 10 Reborn And Remastered Robert Johnson ROUGH GUIDES
Soul Twist King Curtis 29 Teen Beat Vol.2 Various Artists ACE
One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer Amos Milburn 63 Blues Barrelhouse And Boogie - The Best Of Amos Milburn Capitol
Good Morning Blues Jimmy Rushing 11 The R'n'b Years 1947: 100 Hot Rhythm And Blues Tunes From 1947 Various Artists BOULEVARD VINTAGE
the hucklebuck paul williams 20 big horn various artists proper
Yancey Special Jimmy Yancey 6 Eternal Blues Jimmy Yancey BLUES ENCORE
crazy blues mamie Smith 11 The Blues Box Various Artists METRO
how come you do me like you do lil green 12 The Blues Box Various Artists METRO
Railroad Blues Trixie Smith 13 The Blues Box Various Artists METRO
white christmas ravens 8 mark lamarr's christmas various artists acrobat
dig that crazy santa claus oscar mclollie 1-11 rockin around christmas tree various artists crimson
boogie woogie santa claus mabel scott 1-11 rockin around christmas tree various artists crimson
The Hammer Red Prysock 40 The Big Horn Various Artists PROPER
Chica Boo Lloyd Glenn 12 The History Of Rhythm And Blues Volume Two 1942-1952 Various Artists Rhythm and Blues Records
diddie wa diddie Blind Blake 2-3 The essential Blind Blake classic blues
milk cow blues Josh White 2 blues singer josh white SONY
truckin my blues away blind boy fuller 14 legends of the blues various artists spv
Honky Tonk Bill Doggett 5 The Very Best Of Burlesque Various Artists Not Now Music
Created: 14/12/2014 23:51:53

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